Monday, Parshas Emor — Pesach Sheini — 'B'tzeil HaKodesh' with the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a

In the morning, before Shacharis, the following brissin took place:
- For the newborn son of R' Lipa Maskowitz, where the Rebbe was the sandek.
- For the newborn son of R' Shalom Greenwald, where the Rebbe was the sandek.
- For the newborn son of R' Shalom Frankel, where the Rebbe was the sandek.

The Rebbe davened Shacharis in Heichal HaMesivta, the Divrei Yoel branch. Before davening, the Rebbe put tefillin on the bar mitzvah bochur, the bochur Avrohom Yaakov Tzvi Drummer.
During the Torah reading, the Rebbe went to be Hagbah, and after davening he recited the daily Tehillim shiur on chapter 25, verse 4. Afterwards, a lechayim was held with the bar mitzvah bochur in the Rebbe's private room.

In the afternoon, the elevated ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone took place, by the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, for the new magnificent and splendid building, Tel Talpiot, of our kehilla and holy mosdos in Yerushalayim, the holy city. It was held together with the pure table in honor of Pesach Sheini, in a splendid setting at the new home of the distinguished philanthropist R' Zalman Leib Kappel, where all the philanthropists, builders of Yerushalayim, who had donated one million dollars toward the construction of the majestic building, were invited.

Upon arriving at around 4:45, the Rebbe greeted the distinguished philanthropists and davened Mincha.
After Mincha, the Rebbe washed for the seudah. For the soup, matzah and knaidlach were served, and after the meat, matzah crumbs as is customary, and the Rebbe distributed shirayim to the entire gathering. During the seudah, several Yom Tov Pesach niggunim and others were sung.

The distinguished philanthropist R' Avrohom Brach, of Williamsburg, the driving force of the building fund, spoke and greeted all the esteemed guests and opened the gathering. He called upon the distinguished philanthropist R' Akiva Hersh Klein, a member of the building fund committee who heads the entire project, who among other things presented to the donors a report of everything done until now and all the plans for the future. He thanked several philanthropists and askanim who invested great efforts so that the project could come to be, first and foremost the driving force of the project, the distinguished philanthropist R' Avrohom Brach, the distinguished philanthropist R' Yechezkel Dovid Berkowitz, and the Yerushalayim resident, the distinguished philanthropist R' Avrohom Yehoshua HaKohen Glanz, and last but beloved, the esteemed R' Chaim Shlomo Fischer.

Afterwards the host, the distinguished philanthropist R' Zalman Leib Kappel, spoke, expressing the privilege of hosting such a holy gathering, and spoke about the importance of helping such an enormous project.

Then, beautiful verses were sung with heartfelt emotion by the guest from Eretz Yisroel, R' Yisroel Adler, who with good taste and sensitivity conveyed the greatness of the holy occasion.

With holy awe, the assembled had the privilege of hearing words of holy address from the Rebbe shlit"a, who explained in the words of Aggadah the greatness of the holiness of the day, and then spoke of the tremendous merit of all the philanthropists who are privileged to take part in such a holy building from which Torah and halacha will go forth to the entire world. The building will house a talmud torah, yeshiva ketana, kollel, mikvah, small shuls, and a beis medrash, for young and old. He also mentioned in praise the host, the distinguished philanthropist R' Zalman Leib Kappel.

Then the Rebbe shlit"a used the opportunity to thank and praise the Creator of all worlds for His abundant mercy and kindness with the new law in New York, which will, b'ezras Hashem, save pure chinuch. He presented all the details of the bitter decree: several years ago, when preparations were being made for the gubernatorial elections, a quiet meeting was held with the governor, and she was asked to try to halt the decree. The Rebbe explained at length how the process of making a law in New York works, and that it is very easy for a politician to promise, but one needed to make sure to request something that she can actually arrange.
The Rebbe praised the architect of the plan, the esteemed R' Yaakov Zusman Soifer, who over the past few years invested difficult work and much money. He also praised the esteemed R' Yoshe Oestreicher, who is well versed in Albany and had a large part in this, and the esteemed R' Gedalya Segedin, who used his political connections in Albany to bring it about. He particularly emphasized how the opponents of our chinuch fought tooth and nail against the law, but with Heavenly help the law was changed in our favor. Although one cannot know what will be, since the government will try to find loopholes and interpret the law the opposite way, and it may still end up in court, we must thank Hashem for the past and ask Hashem for the future. He also particularly praised the esteemed R' Simcha Eichenstein and the esteemed R' Aharon Bentzion Wieder, the local assemblymen, who helped greatly.

At the conclusion of the words of holy address, the Rebbe shlit"a wished abundant blessings to all the philanthropists, that they merit all the blessings mentioned in the Torah.

For bentching, the Rebbe honored the distinguished philanthropist R' Yisroel Zev Weinstock.

After bentching, the gathering proceeded to the highlight of the event, when the Rebbe shlit"a laid the cornerstone for the great and holy building, as warm niggunim were sung with holy fiery emotion. Among other things, the Rebbe shlit"a placed inside several coins from the holy Rebbes zy"a, and a piece of wood from the holy ground on which the Divrei Yoel zy"a stood in the Beis Medrash HaGadol of Kiryas Joel, which the host, the esteemed R' Zalman Leib, had in his possession. Then he honored his sons, HaGaon HaRav the Av Beis Din of Sighet shlit"a and HaGaon HaRav the Rav of Beis Medrash Beis Boruch shlit"a, as well as the donors and askanim, to pour in the cornerstone. The gathering continued with joyous niggunim. It concluded at around 8:00.

Entry times to the Rebbe in Kiryas Joel were from 8:20 until 12:15 at night, at his holy residence on Ohel Ct.

The Rebbe davened Maariv at around 11:10, and then continued receiving the public.

▫️ Satmara Niyes 🌴 ▫️